Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite is a welcome upgrade of an already capable partitioning and imaging suite from Paragon Software. The latest version includes updated driver support and a slew of new features. Two of the additions--the ability to back up ...

Hard Disk Manager 2009 Suite is a versatile application that's now virtually dead-even with Acronis software in useful features. The new additions make it a worthy choice for your local-backup needs

BitDefender's security suite offers good protection for a great price if you're willing to put up with a few interface annoyances.

Inexpensive ; Strong rootkit blocking

Interface needs improvement

BitDefender includes a useful vulnerability scanner that can identify missing Windows or application patches, but the company appears not to update its version list as quickly as it should. The tool reported the correct installed Firefox version (3.0 ...

If Kaspersky wants to charge the highest price, its security suite should have the best protection and a smooth, intuitive interface. It doesn't.

Detects OS and program security holes

Expensive ; Unintuitive interface

Despite an attractive program interface, in the end Kaspersky's package comes across as somewhat unfinished: It needs better default settings and much better descriptions and help, and it could also use improved malware detection. Factor in the steep ...

New features and improved performance make Firefox 3 the Web browser to beat.

Offers better performance ; Innovative bookmark and history searching

Unfiled bookmarks hidden from view ; Can't add tags to multiple bookmarks

The latest version of the popular open-source browser looks much the same as its predecessor. The only visual clues that something's different with version 3.0: The back and forward buttons are now pushed together, and a little star has been added to ...

New features and improved performance make Firefox 3 the Web browser to beat.

Offers better performance, Innovative bookmark and history searching

Unfiled bookmarks hidden from view, Can't add tags to multiple bookmarks

, so if you view a site that uses one to verify the site owner's identity, you'll know it: A large green button with the company's name will appear on the left side of the location bar

Full-featured firewall, Good antivirus engine

Features missing in Vista version, Security settings could be better

Checkpoint offers a full-featured firewall, but the rest of the suite is flawed.

Easy to use

Faulty malware detection

CA's easy-to-use security suite lacks sufficient protection to stop many of today's threats. Don't rely on it.

Great threat detection

Fewer suite-type features

Avira's great threat detection is offset by a dearth of various features typical of a security suite.

Top performance, Antiphishing protection

Alarmist handling of harmless tracking cookies

The current top performer among antispyware programs also provides antiphishing protection.

Behavior-based protection is good

Performed worse than the earlier 5.0 Beta version

A step down from last year's version 5.0, the newest Spy Sweeper provides good behavior-based detection, but it had trouble with adware and spyware disinfection.